Several methods, which provide various types of milking process of animals, are known. The most optimal and efficient periodical milking process is provided for example by a calf during its sucking action on a milking teat of a cow for performing a natural selection of milk from it (during period of feeding). Such “reference” natural milking process carries out optimal modulating in-phase vacuum-mechanical actions on the teat. During this periodic process of mechanical action on the milking teat (compression) and is carried out by the muscles' lips of the calf and a simultaneous in-phase periodic vacuum action on the milking teat, created in an expanding volume of a closed mouth cavity of the calf during suction of milk. As researches showed, the optimal frequency of the said modulating in-phase periodic actions on the milking teat carried out by the calf is approximately 1.3-2.0 Hz. A milk channel of the milking teat is continuously open during movement of a milk flow into a mouth cavity of a calf (both in a main “milking phase” and in a “resting phase” of each period of the periodic milking process). The natural limitation of a possible lengthening of the milking teat in a periodic process of sucking modulating action on it is absent. At the same time the said periodic mechanical action of the lips of a calf on the side surface of the milking teat (for its deforming compressing) provides optimization of the limitation of the possible volume expansion of the side surface of the milking teat under the action of periodic modulating vacuum action on it. The determining characteristic of this process is a in-phase performance of said periodic increase of vacuum and mechanical actions on the milking teat in the said main “milking phase” and in-phase performance of decrease of said actions on the milking teat in the said “resting phase”, for relaxation of physiological processes in the milking teat. The natural optimization of parameters of said natural milking process carried out by a calf comprises a frequency, a range and a law of periodic changes of the said actions on the milking teat (with consideration of physiological characteristics of animals which takes part in it) and predetermines the highest efficiency of said “reference” natural milking process. The latter is characterized by a natural optimal maximal milking efficiency of said milking process with optimal minimal energy spent by a calf for its performance. The minimal natural level of possible various known diseases of udder or milking teats of a milking animal is achieved.
It should be mentioned that similar characteristics of efficiency of other known milking processes (performed for example during realization of a known artificial “hands” milking method and some known machine milking methods developed over the last 175 years), are significantly different for known reasons in a negative sense from the above mentioned characteristics of the efficient “reference” natural milking process. This can be explained by the fact that none of the known milking methods realize the process which contains to the full extent of a whole combination of optimal modulating in-phase vacuum-mechanical periodic actions on the teat carried out by said “reference” natural milking method.
For example, a known mechanical hands milking method and known mechanical milking method was first proposed in England for facilitation of farmer's work approximately in 1830, carries milking processes which contain only periodic mechanical actions on the teat (for compressing deformation of its lateral surface). The absence in said milking processes of a vacuum action on the milking teat, which periodically changes in-phase with said periodically changing mechanical action on the milking teat (in the main “milking phase” and in the “resting phase”) significantly worsens characteristics of milking efficiency with the use of said mechanical methods.
At the same time, another known vacuum machinery milking method proposed in England in approximately 1851 realizes a milking process, which contains only constant vacuum action on the teat. The main feature of this method is the use of the means of constant vacuum and a one-chamber teat cup. The value of the vacuum action is selected with consideration of the necessity to provide a reliable vacuum “suspension” of the teat cup on the teat and is significantly greater than a value necessary for carrying out of the milking process. This reason and absence in a milking process of a periodic change of said “increased” vacuum action on the milking teat, and also the absence of periodical changing in-phase with its mechanical action on the milking teat, which is necessary for periodic organization in this process of the “milking phase” and “resting phase” causes serious physiological problems which accompany the known milking process. They include mainly a outflow of blood and lymph to the end of a teat under constant “increase” vacuum action on it, and also constant swelling of a milking teat which is accompanied by deformation of its internal structure and leads to blocking of milk in the milking teat and in cavernous structure of the udder so as to provoke stagnating physiological processes which cause known diseases of milking teats and udders for example mastitis.
These negative factors lead as a result to significant reduction of quality of milk and worsening of characteristics of efficiency of the realized milking process, for example the animal sickness level, the milking productivity and the specific energy consumption of the milking process, which limits in principle the use of broad possibilities of the method in the milking industry. This method is used mainly for a short term carrying out of some physiological processes, which take place with the use of constant vacuum action, on certain parts of a body, or organ of a human being (animal) and connected with the possibility of artificial selection from them of a liquid physiological substance of a certain type, for example for an artificial selection of breast milk from nursing women.
The most widely used and traditional method which is developed approximately 100 years ago in a milking industry is a so-called pulsating machinery milking method which was first proposed in Scotland approximately in 1905. The main peculiarities of this known method is the use in a milking system of means of constant vacuum, two-chamber teat cup including an elastic liner and a pulsator providing amplitude-frequency characteristics and a law of operation with pulsations of the liner, by a given periodic commutation of pressures which are alternatingly supplied into the pressure chamber (negative pressure or atmospheric pressure) from corresponding sources of given chamber pressure. As a detailed analysis of this method shown, it realizes a milking process, which contains periodic pulsating phase opposition vacuum-mechanical action on the teat. Trying to technically imitate of the above mentioned “reference” natural milking process, carried out for example by a calf, this method is characterized by principally important process differences from it, which cause serious disadvantages of this traditional pulsating machinery of the milking method.
For example, a detailed analysis of all components of this pulsating milking process, with realization in it of the main “milking phase” with supply of vacuum from the pulsator into the said liner chamber—in an open position, allows to determine the following principle process differences and disadvantages of this phase of the milking process:                Presence in the two-chamber teat cup of an additional relatively bulky and heavy structural element, namely the liner, which causes the necessity of a significant increase of said maximum value of the vacuum generated in a cavity of the teat cup, which is selected with consideration with the possibility of providing reliability of its vacuum “suspension” on the milking teat. The maximum value of the vacuum significantly exceeds the value vacuum action of the teat, which is sufficient for providing efficient milking process, and also significantly exceeds a maximum value of the vacuum, which is sufficient for carrying out the vacuum milking method.        Absence in this phase of the milking process of mechanical action of the milking teat, which changes in-phase with the vacuum action on the milking teat and the deforming compression which is necessary for its organization with a simultaneous mechanical side limitation to volume expansion of the milking teat in the process of realization of the main “milking phase”. It is obvious that excretion of milk from the milking teat in this phase is accompanied by significant deformations of puling of a teat during sucking action of the vacuum, and not deformations of compression of side surface of the teat (compression out of milk), as takes place in the analogous phase of the “reference” natural milking process. This circumstance makes this phase of the pulsating milking process in the process sense to be completely identical to the process realized in the vacuum machinery milking process method.        
Therefore, during realization of the “milking phase” only constant and maximal substantially excessive in the magnitude vacuum acts on the milking teat, which predetermines and significantly worsens serious physiological problems described above in the analysis of the vacuum machinery milking method. It is known that excessive vacuum which acts on the teat leads to affecting of the teat tissue, it can cause a discomfort due to substantial concentration of swellings in the milking teat and also causes pain for animal (cow), increases the probability of pulling the teat deeper into the teat cup, with compressing of the udder, makes difficult or even blocks milk outflow causing an incomplete milking. It also causes a production of stress hormone (adrenaline), which in turn contributes to a significant worsening of quality of milk and impeding of milk production. For these reasons, it is necessary in principle to in substantially limit the length of the “milking phase” (50-70%) within each period of the periodic of realization milking process, which substantially increases the total time of milking process and its specific energy consumption.
At the same time, the detailed analysis of all components of the pulsating milking process, during the realization of it of the “resting phase” with supply of atmosphere pressure or from a said pulsator into a liner chamber, with the liner in a closed position, allows to emphasize other principally important process differences and disadvantages of this phase of the milking process:                Presence in said phase of milking process of mechanical action on the milking teat, caused by the collapsing liner which compressed it, which is absent in an analogous phase of the “reference” natural milking process;        Presence of complete interruption of a channel for movement of milk from the teat which is caused by the collapsing liner for providing a given minimization of the value of vacuum action of the teat, which also is absent of the analogous phase of the “reference” natural milking process.        
The above-mentioned “resting phase” principal process differences, which are introduced in the further, worsen the above-described problems of the pulsating milking process. The researches showed that in the mode of phase opposition vacuum-mechanical actions on the teat when the mechanical action on the teat is increased and the vacuum action on the milking teat is decreased, the process of relaxation of its inner structure starts, the outflow of blood and lymph to the end of milking teat is minimized, the milk unblocked in the inner cavity of the milking teat and in the cavernous structure of the teat. During this period of time the above-mentioned factors positively contribute to the process of maintenance of flowing out of milk from the channel of the teat. However, simultaneously with this, a hydrodynamic shock action of the flow of milk on a “closure”, takes place, which is technically artificially created during closing of the lower part of the liner, which predetermines the possibility of a “reverse flow” of milk during milking. Simultaneously with this, a traumatizing hydrodynamic shock action is formed from the reverse flow of milk into the structure of the inner cavity of milking teat and into the inner cavernous structure of udder. The research shown that approximately ⅓ of milk volume of milk supplied into the inner cavity of teat before the beginning of closing of the liner is pumped back into the udder by the closing liner. During this step, increase of inner stresses development of “stagnation” processes of blocking of milk in these structures of animal organs takes place, with a possible partial deterioration of its integrity. Moreover, the increase of inner deformation stresses in the teat takes place also during the process of its deforming compressing by the liner, when preliminary swollen in the milking phase teat is relaxed not to an equilibrium state, but passes through the equilibrium state and continuous to be compressed intensely. Therefore, it is necessary to emphasize that the above described dynamic process (as in the previously analyzed “milking phase”) has a stress nature and leads to generation of stress hormone, which in turn contributes to a significant worsening of quality of milk and leads to impeding of a milk production. Therefore, it can be summarized that the attempt to relax of the inter structures of the teat and udder performed by the combination of actions on the teat in the “resting phase” of the pulsating milking process not only is simply low efficient, but also additionally causes a series of negative physiological processes.
Also, a possible contact of an end of a teat and a milk volume retained in the cup with the closed linear (since it is difficult to select its size with respect to changing length of the milking teat), and the presence of “reverse flow” of milk through the open channel of teat during this time period create additional favorable conditions for penetration into the structure of the milking teat and udder of viruses and bacteria, which can be located on a surface of an end of the milking teat and or the closed liner. It is known that striking actions of the lower part of the movable liner against an end of the teat are possible, including its possible compressing. This fact can be connected for example with a possible pulling of the teat deeper into the teat cup or the possibility of significant deforming longitudinal lengthening of the milking teat under the action of high vacuum during the process of realization of the “milking phase”, and also with possible similar lengthening of the milking teat in the “resting phase”. The latter can be caused under the action of two-chamber teat cup, “suspended” on the milking teat by means of the upper part on the compressed movable linear, with a significant weakening of the vacuum “suspension” on the milking teat during the period of minimization of the value of working vacuum in the cup. In turn, these striking actions against the end of the teat can lead to its trauma, and also to a viral inflammation and even decay. These reasons can cause a high probability of infection of these organs of animal and as result mastitis or other known diseases.
In view of the above-mentioned reasons, it is in principal necessary to significantly limit the length of the described “resting phase” within 30-50% of time of each period of milking process. The developers of the milking system have to solve a complicated, practically irresolvable task to find an efficient compromise with selection of length of the other (also problematic) main component of the “milking phase”. The necessity to reduce the value of the working vacuum in the cup during “resting phase” with the movable liner leads to a dynamic lowering, (during 15-35% of time of the whole milking process), and then to a complete interruption (during not less than 15% of time of the milking process) of the flow of milk from the teat cup into the milk channel. This substantially increases the total time process of milking and correspondingly its specific energy consumption. Moreover, the technical characteristics of the main structural components which are complicated, bulky, heavy and energy consuming in the milking system, namely a liner and a pulsator which provide the all given characteristics of the milking process, significantly limit the possibility of maintaining and optimization of its dynamic parameters, (with consideration of physiological characteristics of the animal), for example a frequency of pulsation of the linear, a time and also law of its opening and closing, and also the laws of periodic changes of actions on the teat. At the same time, for known reasons, the above mentioned frequency of pulsation of the liner in the milking system which is practically given mainly within the limit 1 Hz, which is significantly different from known optimal frequency of calf sucking (reaching 2 Hz), additionally limits the efficiency of the realized machinery milking process.
Is it obvious that the above listed principal (methodological and process related) disadvantages and limited potential possibilities of the broad applied pulsating machinery milking method used in the milking industry, despite a hundred year of its intense expensive scientific and technological development, can not be efficiently minimized or completely eliminated due to the principal violations in the realized milking process of the physiological essence of the known “reference” natural milking process which is “pseudo-imitated” by this manner.
A relatively low milk-production and energy efficiency of this method accompanied by a high level of diseases in milking animals and relatively low quality of milk produced by it causes serious social, ecological and energy problems of a global nature. They definitely include the necessity of maintaining of a significantly increased number of milking animals and a corresponding increase of number of animal-maintaining spaces, milking equipment, feeder base and additional transportation, and also expenses for utilization of additional wastes in milking industry, and as a result additional high quantity of used-energy resources, additional annual multi-billion expenses for diagnostics and treatment of diseases in animals resulted from the milking process, etc. As a result, the cost of the milk is significantly increased, in particular many times, the cost of milk products is increased well, and also the efficiency of production is reduced in the milking industry and food industry, with lower quality and increased cost of supplied milk.